“challenged :) ...”

Description from J Yee smart chick: okay, in response to the challenge to work w/ beads we normally wouldn't... black onyx is one that I wouldn't because it's monotone and such a dark color. Same w/ black onyx cubic zirconia... once I began adding other beads in the "black" gemstone categories the others didn't look nearly so subdued and depressing... :)

Hi Joyce – It certainly is a challenge wo work with new colors. I’m struggling with “orange” because it’s not something I wear.

I think the onyx with the china silver leaf or silver quartz with silver accents would be stunning and sophisticated.

Don’t forget that you can pair black with bright colors for a rich contrast – turquoise, yellow, orange, red, etc. Scroll through the fresh picks with onyx to see what I’m talking about. Black onyx is such a wonderful, classic, versatile stone.

thank you jeannes gems and cuban queen, greatly appreciate your comments!!! growing up in Hawaii, my sense of color is usually bright and saturated, I’m learning a lot from everyone here about the subtleties of colors, such as the beautiful shimmer of labradorite.
I’m really getting to like the silvery tone beads like the natural silver quartz and china silver leaf, as well as the “natural colored” ones like lodolite, rainbow crazy lace or the mexican gray agate!!!

BTW, I do understand about orange – it can be such a “bright” color that it’s hard to consider what it could mix with… what either complements or augments orange? greens complement, and yellows/ambers help augment… orange can also be “subdued” as well, consider the indian carnelian, it’s a softer orange, or check out the yellow jade, it’s a lovely range of yellows to soft oranges…